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December 22, 2013

Easy 1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls

Ah, cinnamon rolls. You are so delicious, so decadently sweet and fluffy and creamy and cinnamony... And you take so darn long to make! How many of you have never bothered to make cinnamon rolls, or only made them once and then given up because they just take forever?? Hands up! Yep, I'm with you. Who wants to start them the night before, or wake up hours before everyone else? Especially on a holiday?? Not me! When I first read this recipe, I was skeptical. Could they really be that good? What are we sacrificing to get them done so fast? But finally I tried it, and let me tell you:

Combine milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Heat on high for 1 minute, then remove and stir. Continue heating (and stirring) in 30 second intervals, until the butter is melted and the milk is warm, but not hot. If it ended up too hot, let it sit a few minutes to cool.

In a large bowl (or stand mixer) whisk together 3 cups of the flour, salt, yeast, and sugar. Add the egg and milk/butter mixture, mix (medium low speed, with dough hook if using a mixer) until combined. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated. Give it a minute after each 1/4 cup before adding more flour. When the dough comes away from the walls of the bowl, but still barely stuck at the bottom, you have enough flour. Knead dough for 8 minutes. Form dough into a soft ball and cover with plastic wrap or a damp clean towel for 10 minutes

Prepare your filling! Stir together the sugars, spices and salt in a medium bowl. Make sure your butter is softened and smear-able.

After resting, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 10 by 20 inches. Spread the softened butter over the whole surface of the dough.

(You can use a knife or a spatula, honestly, I just used my hands. It may seem like a lot of butter: Use it ALL!) Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter, leaving a 1/2 inch border on one of the long edges.

Beginning at the long edge without the sugarless border, tightly roll up the dough. Pinch the seam together at the end (hence that border we left!)

Cut into 12 rolls. (Dental floss is awesome for cutting these without squishing them, but a knife works just fine too!)

Place each of the cut cinnamon rolls into greased dishes: two 8 inch pans or a 9x13 pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 25-30 minutes. (I like to start preheating my oven at this point and place the pan on top while it's rising.) They aren't going to rise TONS, don't worry about that. As long as they've "poofed" a little you're fine.

Uncover your rolls and bake them in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and let cool a few minutes before frosting.

Icing:
Whisk softened butter and cream cheese together until combined. Add the powdered sugar and whisk vigorously till combined, adding a Tb or two of milk if it is too stiff. (You can do all this in a mixer too, of course)

In the interest of full disclosure, I admit these really are more like hour-and-a-half rolls. But STILL!! So FAST!! And so EASY!!

And are they delicious? Oh my heavens. They're incredible. Possibly the best I've ever had. Definitely the best I've ever made. There is literally no reason to make them any other way. Unless you like taking forever. When I asked the Geologist what he thought, if there were any flaws, his only criticism was, "There's not enough chocolate in them." This is our family's new cinnamon roll recipe!

They rise high and soft and fluffy, crisp around the edges just like I like them, loaded with gooey sugary-cinnamon decadence, and that cream cheese frosting is killer. The perfect cinnamon roll! Soooo good. Really, I can't believe it, but it's true. Toss your old recipe and try this one!! It's a revolution!!

Welcome!

My mother has always said I could be sitting on a corner with a lollipop and be perfectly happy. My favorite things are the little ones; the seemingly insignificant details of my life as a wife, mother, and silly little girl at heart. The only thing that makes me happier than discovering these delights is sharing them! I love to cook, read, sing, adventure with my 3 little reasons for Mom-ing, snuggle with my beastie of a dog, and laugh with my best friend, my husband The Geologist. I hope you enjoy my adventures in food (and life) as much as I do!